Why does unused cargo capacity of GVWR matter at all?

Things are starting to get contentious and we have 7 pages of answers to the OP's question. I think it is time to close this one. Thank you all for your participation.
Barney

drittal wrote:

4X4Dodger wrote:

drittal wrote:
Water weighs 8.34lbs per gallon. My trailer can carry 110 fresh or 917lbs.

Then add batteries, propane, fuel for genset... now all the stuff you pack with. Chairs, BBQ, hoses, tools, bedding, clothes, toiletries, foods, utensils, pots and pans, etc...

There is absolutely no reason to carry 917 lbs of water around with you on the interstate and backroads...go with tanks empty and fill at destination.

and much of what you list should already be in the trailer before you weigh it and then know your NET capacity.

This is the kind of misinformation and overblown hyperbole that makes the new Rv'er so confused.

Sure, if you camp where there are hookups. We love to camp along the river and our state parks don't have hook ups.

And I bet you pass thru a small town within 25 miles of that camp where you could fill up therefore negating the need to haul that weight a long distance.

Ron,

I've mentioned the same thing to Ben over the years. diagram is still the same. He assumes, that the person reading knows the HW is needing to be correct.

At the end of the day, it is how much payload you have left on a given rigs gvwr, divided by the HW %, and that is the max trailer one can tow.

If you have 0 lbs of payload, your manufacture gcwr may say you have 8000 lbs of trailer, reality is, you have 0 lbs of trailer tow capacity.

or that it can change based on type of trailer. How many have said 5w is higher rated towing than a ball mount? yeah right.

1000 with 10% is 10000 lbs of max trailer. 1000 lbs with 25% on a 5w, max 4000 lbs of trailer. Not seeing the higher rating from a 5w standpoint personally.

What the heck do i know about towing trailers.....

Marty

Ok

BenK wrote:
This is a tough one, as the diagram is about actual weights with notation or reference to the OEMs rating

No -- not tough at all.
A simple fact -- measured trailer GAW is not equal to the trailer GVW unless TW is zero.
For real trailers, GVW might typically be 500-1200# greater than GAW,

If a trailer's GVWR is 7000# and the trailer is loaded to 7500# and the tongue weight is 1000# --
your diagram, if used to interpret scales data, could lead one to believe the trailer's GVW is 6500# when it actually is 7500#.
IOW, one could conclude the trailer is 500# under GVWR when it actually is 500# over.

Since actual and knowing how a WD Hitch system works...by distributing weigh throughout the setup (trailer and TV)...is it really over the OEM GVWR when WD'd ???

For the above example, if the WDH were adjusted to eliminate 50% of the front end rise,
a load of 100# might be added to the trailer axles.
This would increase the measured axle load to 6600#.

Using your diagram would lead one to conclude the trailer's GVW was 6600# versus the actual GVW of 7500.

So, yes, it really is over the OEM GVWR when WD'd.

I suggest you modify your diagram so it does not incorrectly indicate that the trailer's GVW is equal to the load on the trailer's axle(s).

Ron

This is why I'll only advise on HOW2 figure it out yourself and say to decide
if you (the OP, or whomever) whether you believe in the OEM ratings systems or not

If not, then do whatever...but know that you have taken the OEMs off the hook for
warranty (if any left) and the biggie: liability. You, the decision maker...AKA
risk management decision...AKA gambling...now own that decision which has potential
warranty and liability

If yes, then gather 'your' ratings and learn how that system works...

But...many come to these forums looking for confirmation that they have made
the right decision and/or provide solace that they 'can do it'...because "they
have been doing it without issues"...

Am satiated by the PMs is get and even some emails (don't know how
they got that, but think from way back when I did post it) that confirm
that some out there are understanding how that system works.

It is a wonder that all the OEMs provide such high levels of margins
in their product and that many who ignore are consuming those margins.
Even to that point...many don't know what 'consuming margin' means...

I'm ready to just say, "Tow whatever the bleep you want, but don't come crying when you hate how it handles, when it scares you to death, or when something bad happens."

You try to make it simple, but it doesn't matter because it's not the answer they want to hear, "But, if I pack light, or don't take water, or fill the tires with helium, can't I just...?" Fine. If they don't mind being tied to weighing every last crumb, and tied to commercial campgrounds for every trip. Fine. If they don't mind 10 years of payments on something they may never use. Fine.

Ron Gratz wrote:
Ben,

For your diagram --

note that trailer GVW is not equal to trailer GAW as diagram implies.

Trailer GVW, when not using WDH, is equal to trailer GAW plus tongue weight.

Your diagram could lead someone to conclude, based on scale weight, that they are under trailer GVWR when they might be several hundred pounds over.

Ron

This is a tough one, as the diagram is about actual weights with
notation or reference to the OEMs rating

Since actual and knowing how a WD Hitch system works...by distributing
weigh throughout the setup (trailer and TV)...is it really over the
OEM GVWR when WD'd ???

4X4Dodger wrote:

drittal wrote:
Water weighs 8.34lbs per gallon. My trailer can carry 110 fresh or 917lbs.

Then add batteries, propane, fuel for genset... now all the stuff you pack with. Chairs, BBQ, hoses, tools, bedding, clothes, toiletries, foods, utensils, pots and pans, etc...

There is absolutely no reason to carry 917 lbs of water around with you on the interstate and backroads...go with tanks empty and fill at destination.

and much of what you list should already be in the trailer before you weigh it and then know your NET capacity.

This is the kind of misinformation and overblown hyperbole that makes the new Rv'er so confused.

Sure, if you camp where there are hookups. We love to camp along the river and our state parks don't have hook ups.

Ben,

For your diagram --

note that trailer GVW is not equal to trailer GAW as diagram implies.

Trailer GVW, when not using WDH, is equal to trailer GAW plus tongue weight.

Your diagram could lead someone to conclude, based on scale weight, that they are under trailer GVWR when they might be several hundred pounds over.

Ron